For many high school students, after school hours are spent going to various sports practices. But for a few Redwood students, time after school consists of going to the recording studio, practicing with their band, or even performing their music at a local venue.

For senior Nick Lopez, who is pursuing music professionally, singing and songwriting is much more than just a hobby. Besides publishing music videos to his YouTube channel, Lopez published an album called For the Music in April 2013, and currently has a second album in the works.

The inspiration for his albums can come from almost anywhere.

“Some songs I write about personal experiences,” Lopez said. “Sometimes I write about what my friends are going through, but I like to keep it really motivational and happy.”

Lopez, who co-wrote every song on his album, works with professional producers, lyricists, and rappers on his songs before publishing them, in order to better his music.

“The more opinions you get, the better your song is going to get,” said Lopez.

Senior Annika Wells, who has been singing ever since she was a child, and songwriting for seven years, says that emotions are what fuel her songs.

“I don’t write my lyrics about direct things in my life, I pull from emotions,” Wells said.

Wells, who mainly identifies as a songwriter, performs her music at local restaurants, hotels, and charity events, but has not published an album despite having been approached multiple times by various labels.

“I really just want to learn more,” Wells said about why she currently isn’t actively pursuing a career in the music industry, although she does eventually want a career in the music business.

“I feel like there’s so much more to learn before I can really jump into the music industry,” Wells said.

While Wells usually plays gigs on her own accompanied by her piano, junior Carly Butler performs at gigs accompanied by her band.

Butler and her band, Live Like This, have an album called 30 Days, which was published during the summer of 2013. Butler describes it as being acoustic, with jazz and country influences.

According to Butler, being a part of a band has made her a better artist.

“Coming together with my band and learning to collaborate with each other and bounce ideas off of each other, and learning to take criticism in a good way makes you better,” Butler said.

Besides singing in her band, Butler also writes her own songs, which she has been doing since she was young.

“I do write my own songs, mostly just lyrics and melody,” Butler said. “Occasionally I’ll write the actual instrumental.”

For all three artists, it’s the love of music and the support of the audience that drives them to continue to write and perform their songs.

“It’s my ultimate passion, and it’s the only thing I want to do because it’s what gives me so much joy,” Wells said. “It’s not just something temporary I do for fun.